'Mad Men'

"Mad Men," AMC

Nomination Status: A lock for a nomination.

In Its Favor: It's difficult to question the "Mad Men" Emmy pedigree, which includes three Outstanding Drama Series wins in three years of eligibility. With those three straight wins, I feel pretty comfortable banking on a fourth consecutive nomination, at the very least.

TheHolyAvenger - I can add it to the "Some Other Notables..." page if it would make you happy. As you say, it's probably more likely to get a nomination than "Terriers." Possibly even 10X more likely, what with 10-times-zero still equaling zero...

So according to the presentation, you consider Mad Men-Dexter-Boardwalk-Good Wife locks and Game of Thrones close to a lock. Which show do you think has the higher chance of being the 6th one, True Blood?

Lucas - The gallery's in my prediction order. So the show I'm predicting for that final nomination is "Friday Night Lights." I'm utterly convinced it's the wrong prediction, but I've tried to toss in the occasional oddball guess, just because that's what Emmy voters inevitably end up doing as well. Also, the idea of predicting an Outstanding Drama nod for the third season of "True Blood" makes me sad.

I don't get all the hate for True Blood, I honestly don't. Season 1 and 2 were great, a near-perfect mix of horror, mistery, comedy and heart. That being said, it won't get nominated again and it shouldn't be. Season 3 was just wrong and bad in so many different ways. Too many different side stories, most of them boring and poorly executed, original storylines that made me cringe... Alan Ball dropped the ball on this one, big time.

I also agree Showtime should've pushed Shameless for comedy series. It definitely deserves a nod, but it won't get it in this category. Maybe next year? I got my fingers crossed for an Emmy Rossum nomination.

I wonder what the boards around these parts would look like if Terriers somehow swept the nominations. Would it just be silent for, like, two hours, and then crash under the stress of 100000 fans logging in at the same time?

Oh, to dream. I think both BE and Walking Dead are crazy overrated. I don't watch Mad Men, but get that it is the best thing ever so:

Mad MenGood WifeGame of ThronesFriday Night LightsTerriersJustified

(Wish list, not actual prediction, with Mad Men included because I know a lock when I see it.)

Mad Men probably should be winning as last season was just plain excellent, though with the mass Emmy folks I say it'll be a coin-toss between that and Boardwalk.

I can see The Walking Dead trading places with True Blood, no real logic, but it's just a feeling (in fairness the 'Pilot' was terrific).

I would be delighted if Game of Thrones & Justified got nominations, both thoroughly deserve them.

""Dexter" failed to pick up an Outstanding Drama Series nomination for its first season"

WHAT?!?! I had to go and look considering the S1 edges S2 as the show's best, but they nominated fricking Heroes that year instead. The idiots!

(Sidenote: Rubicon just finished with us and I took your & Alan's advice of deliberately not watching the finale. I didn't care at all for the Katherine Rhoemer stuff so the penultimate episode works pretty well as a series coda. A depressing one, but a finale nonetheless. Damn, that turned into a quality little show.)

People - did anyone who saw season 3 of sons of anarchy really believe it was better than any of the first 2? Also - why all the hubbub over true blood? I've seen a couple of episodes and I just don't get it - seems like it appelals to the twilight/Buffy crowd mostly (teenaged females) ... If I had to pick a winner - I would say Mad Men in a landslide with Game of Thrones or the Good Wife far behind ... Justified, Boardwalk Empire, and Terriers (I wish) - pulling up the rear